Is Cloud Gaming The Future of Esports?: The Transformative Effect of Cloud Gaming in The Esports Industry

The esports’ gaming industry has grown tremendously in recent years. From the good old days when Nintendo was the real deal in the 80s to now, with virtual reality and augmented reality integration, there is no sign of slowing down.

One such technology that is shaking the industry is cloud gaming. The cloud gaming market was estimated to be $615.3 million in 2021 but is expected to grow to $17706.48 million by 2030.

This will significantly affect all aspects of the video gaming industry, including esports betting in India and other developing nations. Below, we’ve discussed how cloud gaming has impacted the esports industry and whether it has the potential to entirely console gaming.

What is Cloud Gaming?

Think of how you stream a TV show on Netflix. Cloud gaming allows you to play video games using remote servers in data centres. You won’t need to download and install the games on your console or PC.

Instead, you will stream it over the internet directly to your device. The best part is you don’t need any software or cables, just a high-speed internet connection and a compatible streaming device like a smartphone or laptop.

Wondering how to access cloud gaming? The leading cloud gaming service providers include Xbox Cloud Gaming, Luna by Amazon, GeForce Now, and PlayStation Plus Premium. Unfortunately, Google’s Stadia, which was praised for higher server speed in the past, was shut down in 2023.

How Cloud Gaming Has Impacted The Esports Industry

While still in its infancy, cloud gaming is one of the trends reshaping the online gaming industry. As such, it has particularly experienced significant usage in the eSports industry due to its numerous benefits. Here are four ways cloud gaming has impacted the esports industry.

Accessibility and Reach

Gone are the days when expensive gaming rigs were a barrier to entry for many aspiring professional gamers. Cloud gaming has ensured unparalleled accessibility and reach like never before.

Players can now access high-quality games and compete professionally without making substantial investments in hardware. All you will need is a high-speed internet connection and a compatible device like a smart TV or tablet.

Enhanced Spectator Experience

You know where I’m headed with this if you spend countless hours watching matches and tournaments on YouTube or Twitch. However, cloud gaming has enabled aspiring gamers and fans to enjoy real-time matches and tournaments on streaming platforms.

The games have minimal delays thanks to the low latency capabilities of cloud gaming. This leads to a more immersive and engaging viewer experience. As a result, the esports scene has attracted more viewers who even create dedicated communities around specific games and players.

Scalability and Flexibility

In the past, it was almost impossible to participate in esports tournaments if you resided in a developing country. Not that the organisers had something against these gamers, but it was nearly impossible to feature them.

But due to the existence of cloud gaming, gamers from around the globe can join in these competitions. A gamer in the UK has the same opportunity as a player in India.

Moreover, organisers can now effortlessly scale up the number of concurrent players in a match. This not only makes the event larger but more exciting. The scalability has enabled exponential growth of the industry with bigger sponsors coming in, which in the end, drives prize pools higher.

Reduced Barriers for Game Developers

Thanks to cloud infrastructure, the game development process is now streamlined. Developers don’t need to optimise their games for a multitude of hardware configurations, which not only lowers the cost but enables the creation of expansive games.

Furthermore, developers can easily push updates and patches to players worldwide because games are hosted on remote servers. This allows a fair and competitive environment, encouraging a lot of game developers to invest heavily in creating esports-friendly titles.

Is Cloud Gaming The Future of Esport?

While cloud gaming has massive potential in the overall video gaming industry, we can’t say for sure it’s the future of esports. In the past, we have seen massive technologies that garnered similar traction but faded or overtaken by others. Moreover, many pro gamers have raised concerns about latency.

Nonetheless, the rate at which industry leaders invest in this technology shows so much potential. Though it might not be perfect right now, it’s possible to overcome these challenges as technology advances.

Final Word

Cloud gaming has taken the gaming world by storm, impacting how esports are experienced. However, the tech is far from perfect, with latency, cost, reliance on strong and fast internet connection, and games being inferior to games available for local consumption being the main issues.

Nonetheless, with industry top players investing heavily in this tech, we can expect massive strides in the future. And maybe then, cloud gaming will completely replace PCs and consoles.